Warehouse ke andar hawa jam si gayi thi.
Kashika ki aankhen Aarav aur "Papa" ke beech ghoom rahi thi. Dil itni zor se dhadak raha tha jaise kabhi bhi toot sakta ho.
"Tumne already bahut help kar di, Aarav."
Yeh line abhi bhi uske dimaag me goonj rahi thi।
"Matlab… tum dono saath ho?" Kashika ki awaaz dheemi thi… par usme tootne ki aahat saaf thi।
Aarav ne turant uski taraf dekha।
"NO, Kashika—"
"Jhooth mat bolo!" Kashika chilla padi। "Ab aur nahi!"
Uski aankhon me aansu aa gaye the… par is baar wo darr ke nahi, dhokhe ke the।
"Enough drama," Papa ki thandi awaaz ne dono ko rok diya।
Wo dheere-dheere aage badhe।
Black-clothed log unke peeche khade the—bilkul silent, bilkul controlled।
"Kashika… tumhe pata bhi hai tum kis game me phas chuki ho?" Papa ne shaant lekin dangerous tone me poocha।
Kashika ne aankhon me seedha dekhte hue kaha—
"Mujhe bas yeh pata hai… ki sab jhooth bol rahe hain."
Papa halka sa muskuraaye।
"Good," unhone kaha, "kyunki ab tum sach sunne ke liye ready ho."
Papa ka sach...
"Humne tumhe adopt nahi kiya tha," Papa ne seedha kaha।
Kashika ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya।
"Humne tumhe bachaya tha."
"Same line Aarav ne bhi boli thi," Kashika ne thande tone me jawab diya।
Papa ne Aarav ki taraf dekha।
"Difference yeh hai… main jhooth nahi bol raha."
Aarav ne gusse me ek kadam aage badhaya—
"Tumhare liye sach sirf woh hota hai jo tumhare kaam aaye!"
Papa ne haath uthakar apne logon ko signal diya—
Wo log thoda peeche hat gaye, par alert rahe।
"Tum samajh nahi rahi ho, Kashika," Papa ne kaha,
"Wo code… jo tumhare andar hai… wo duniya ko control kar sakta hai."
Kashika ka dimaag phir se ghoom gaya।
"Control?"
Papa ne haan me sir hilaaya।
"Financial systems… military networks…
identities… sab kuch," unhone kaha,
"Ek galat haath me gaya… to duniya barbaad."
"Isliye tum mujhe lock karke rakhe hue the?" Kashika ne poocha।
Papa ne seedha jawab diya—
"Isliye hum tumhe safe rakh rahe the."
"Safe?" Aarav hans pada।
"Ya phir controlled?" usne teekha jawab diya।
Papa ki aankhon me gussa chamka।
"Aur tum kya kar rahe ho, Aarav?"
"Tum bhi to isi code ke peeche ho."
Kashika ka dil phir se hil gaya।
Usne Aarav ki taraf dekha—
"Sach bolo… tumhe bhi code chahiye na?"
Aarav chup ho gaya।
Wahi silence… jo sab kuch keh deta hai।
"Great," Kashika dheere se boli,
"Ek mujhe control karna chahta hai… aur doosra mujhe use karna chahta hai."
Uski aankhon me ab aansu nahi the।
Sirf thandi clarity thi।
"Main kisi ki nahi hoon," usne dheere se kaha।
Tabhi Aarav ne ek aisi cheez ki jo kisi ne expect nahi ki।
Usne apne haath upar kar diye
"Fine," usne calmly kaha,
"I'm out."
Kashika shock me uski taraf dekhne lagi।
"Aarav…?"
Papa bhi thoda confuse hue.
"Yeh koi trick hai?" unhone poocha।
Aarav ne sir hilaaya।
"Main bas ek cheez chahta tha—sach," usne kaha,
"Ab jab sab saamne hai… main fight nahi karunga."
Kashika ke andar ek ajeeb sa feeling aayi।
Yeh itna simple nahi ho sakta…
Aarav itni easily give up nahi karega।
Usne uski aankhon me dekha…
Aur wahan kuch tha।
Ek signal...
Ek plan...
Hidden Plan Revealed (Only to Kashika)
Aarav ne halka sa apni ungli hilayi—
Jaise koi invisible button press kar raha ho।
Kashika ko achanak yaad aaya—
Device.
Wo abhi bhi uske bag me tha।
Usne dheere se apna haath bag ke paas le jaakar device ko touch kiya।
Instantly…
Device glow karne laga।
Beep! Beep! BEEEEEP!
Warehouse me ek loud alarm goonj utha।
Papa shock me peeche hate।
"Yeh kya—?!"
Lights flicker hone lagi।
Black-clothed log panic me idhar-udhar dekhne lage।
Aarav ne turant chillaaya—
"NOW, KASHIKA!"
Kashika bina soche bhaag padi।
Aarav ne bhi turant uska haath pakda aur side exit ki taraf dauda।
"Tumne… surrender kyu kiya tha?" Kashika ne bhaagte hue poocha।
Aarav halka sa hasa—
"Taaki wo guard down karein."
"Main tumhe use nahi kar raha…" Aarav ne kaha,
"Main tumhe choice de raha hoon."
"Kaunsi choice?" Kashika ne poocha।
Aarav ne seedha jawab diya—
"Ya to tum unke saath jaakar ek weapon ban jao…"
"…ya mere saath aakar apni story khud likho."
Dono warehouse se bahar nikal aaye।
Door se siren ki awaaz aa rahi thi।
Raat aur bhi dangerous lag rahi thi।
Kashika ruk gayi।
Aarav bhi ruk gaya।
"Decision tumhara hai," usne dheere se kaha।
Sawal bahot the man me kuch samajh nhi aa rha tha.
Kya ho rha hai, alag hi jindagi chal rahi thi...
Kya ho gya, kha aa gyi..
Meri beti 1 saal ki ho gyi thi.
Piyush Or mai bahot khush the..
Lekin ye aarav kha se aa gya..
"Agar sach mere andar hai… to kya main use duniya ko bachane ke liye use karungi… ya khud ko bachane ke liye?"